Good feeding is a source of activity and good mood for any pet. Lack of nutrients and fluids in the body can lead to illness and even death of the animal. Let's figure out how much a cat will live without food and water, which can serve as a reason for a pet to refuse to eat food.
What can make a cat starve?
There are several reasons why an animal may refuse to eat:
- A sharp change in diet - the transition to unfamiliar food can adversely affect the behavior of the pet. That is why replacing food is recommended gradually. New food should be offered to the cat in small portions throughout the week.
- Maltreatment of animals - cats tend to be offended by the owner, if the latter behaves rudely and does not pay due attention. How many days can a cat live without food in this situation? In this case, the appetite usually returns to the animal after a few days.
- Feeding old, spoiled food, food with a pungent, unpleasant odor. Cats have a good sense of smell. Therefore, some products may not attract them.
- Climate change - when moving to a place with sharply different conditions, the pet may lose appetite. Restore cravings for food allows you to feed your favorite pet treats.
- Fasting days. According to veterinarians, cats sometimes deliberately arrange long breaks between meals, which helps cleanse the body.
- The main instinct is that cats can begin to starve during active breeding.
- An ailment or development of an ailment - an animal can refuse food if it is poisoned or if there is a disease. How much a cat can live without food in such situations, the veterinarian can determine. That is why when an animal refuses food, it is worth contacting a specialist.
How long can a domestic cat live without food?
As practice shows, a cat is able to remain hungry for a week without negative consequences for the body. Naturally, pets rarely behave this way. But if an exciting event occurs in a pet’s life, starvation can be one of the behavioral reactions.
So how long can a cat live without food? Complete refusal of the animal from food can lead to rather sad consequences. According to experts, if a cat does not eat for two weeks, this can cause irreversible changes in the body.
How much is a cat able to live without water?
About 70% of the weight in cats is liquid. Even with a complete loss of body fat, the animal is able to fully recover within a month. But even with a deficiency of 10% of the normal fluid level in cats, a fatal outcome most often occurs.
Having figured out how much a cat can live without food, let's find out how long a pet can survive without water. Much here depends on the breed of the animal. So, Scottish and British fold cats feel a minimal need for fluid to enter the body and therefore drink extremely rarely. However, the average normal adult cat is about 250 ml of water per day.
Averaged data from special studies show how much a cat can live without food and water. Without the intake of fluid in the body, even in the presence of dry food, the animal can last no more than two days.
Finally
It is quite difficult to imagine what can cause a cat to refuse to eat and drink water in a domestic environment. However, similar situations do happen. Cats are wayward animals. Therefore, severe stress or a sharp change in living conditions may force them to exhibit atypical behavior.
In some cases, we are talking about the development of a serious disease. At first, you can try to feed the cat with liquid food and drink from a syringe. However, in the absence of changes for the better, it is recommended to show the animal to the veterinarian for several days. Only a specialist will be able to find out the real reason for the pet to refuse food and water.